Nokia has secured a multi-billion dollar contract with India’s Bharti Airtel, one of the country’s leading telecom operators, which is expanding its 5G network. The deal with Airtel would be for Nokia’s latest AirScale mobile radios that support upgrading an existing network to 5G-Advanced and reduces energy costs, according to the sources.
Ericsson won a multi-billion dollar contract from Bharti Airtel, Reuters reported on Monday. Airtel is also in talks with Samsung about buying 5G equipment, a source told Reuters.
Samsung has been trying to grow its network equipment business, but has so far lagged Nokia and Ericsson. Samsung won its first 5G contract with Airtel in 2022. India has blocked its mobile carriers from using 5G telecom equipment made by China’s Huawei.
Backgrounder:
India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market where telcos such as Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have been spending billions of dollars to upgrade their networks to 5G. Bharti Airtel’s 5G market share in India is over 90 million subscribers, as of June 2024. Airtel and Reliance Jio are the only two telcos in India that offer 5G services.
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The Nokia-Bharti Airtel deal is indicative of the intensifying competition among telecom operators and equipment manufacturers in India’s 5G market. For Nokia, the agreement represents a significant rebound and consolidation of its presence in India, amidst previous challenges and the competitive pressures exerted by rivals such as Ericsson and Samsung.As India stands on the cusp of a 5G revolution, the successful execution of this deal could serve as a blueprint for similar agreements, thereby accelerating the pace of 5G deployment across the nation.
By leveraging Nokia’s global expertise and Bharti Airtel’s deep market penetration, this partnership is poised to unlock new opportunities, stimulate innovation, and drive economic growth. As the 5G landscape continues to evolve, the strategic foresight and collaborative spirit demonstrated by Nokia and Bharti Airtel will undoubtedly inspire further advancements and investments in India’s telecom sector.
References:
https://www.reportlinker.com/article/8488
https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2022/08/03/nokia-selected-by-bharti-airtel-for-5g-deployment/
https://www.nokia.com/thought-leadership/articles/customer-success-stories/lightstorm/